"I have seen the show, so it doesn't affect me," said Groom, who lives in Point Clear and admits he's never been to an IMAX theater. "But it seems strange and ironic that it won't be shown of all places here. When it first came out, it was all over the place."

The movie is known and loved all over the world. It was No. 71 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest American Movies of All Time. When it was originally released 20 years ago, "Forrest Gump" was the highest-grossing film of all time, earning $675 million at the global box office, according to an IMAX news release.

Groom said he has heard from friends who travel often that they have encountered people from Tierra del Fuego, "the end of the earth," to the North Pole, who say, "'You're from Alabama? Oh, Forrest Gump!'"

"As far as movies go, it's a pretty big deal," he said.

When the movie first debuted in 1994, Groom was unable to attend the Hollywood premiere, he said. Instead, he watched it for the first time at a big party in Mobile "with all my friends," at a local theater with then-Mayor Mike Dow in attendance.

According to Paramount Pictures, "Forrest Gump: The IMAX Experience" "will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie," thanks to "crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio." The movie will play for one week, starting Sept. 5.

Adam Davis, a spokesperson for IMAX Corp., said that one-week engagements typically fill in gaps between film releases.

Other movies that have been re-released in IMAX format in recent years include "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Top Gun," "Jurassic Park," "Titanic" and "Wizard of Oz."

"It's been a really fun way to showcase our digital remastering technology, which enhances the image and sound of a film for playback in IMAX theatres and has also allowed both an older and newer generation to experience classic films in a way they never have before," Davis wrote in an email.

"Gump" fans who want to see the movie in all its larger-than-life IMAX glory will have to travel to Montgomery, where it will play at AMC Plaza 16 and IMAX, or Destin, Fla., at the Destin Commons 14 and IMAX.

Mobile's 177-seat J. L. Bedsole IMAX Dome Theater, the only IMAX theater in coastal Alabama, will not show "Forrest Gump" for several reasons, said Josh Holland, director of marketing and design at the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center.

"One of the more simple reasons is because, while formatted for a 'normal' IMAX theater, this release is not formatted properly to be viewed on an IMAX Dome, such as the one we house here. Think of watching a movie through a fisheye lens, if you will. The integrity of the film would be noticeably distorted," he wrote in an email responding to the question of why the movie won't be shown at the Exploreum.

Cost is another factor preventing the Exploreum from showing "Forrest Gump" or other feature films, Holland said. "Standard IMAX films are usually around 40 to 45 minutes long, while feature films are typically 60-plus minutes. In order to show feature-length films, it would require a pricey equipment upgrade ($50,000 plus)."

The movie's 142-minute length is another problem, Holland said. "We currently show two IMAX films per hour. With a feature-length film, we would only be able to show one film every two hours, cutting the number of show times and consequently, revenue, in half. We would also be competing with large, commercial theater chains for these same films, and they typically get preference over smaller science centers such as ourselves. With that being the case, even if we were set up to show feature films, it is very likely we would not be able to get our hands on the film for quite a while."

Holland also mentioned the film's PG-13 rating. "Most feature-length films do not fit with our mission statement," he wrote. "We try to keep our films strictly in the realm of educational titles that we can confidently show to groups of all ages. Most, if not all of our films are rated G and more along the lines of documentary standards."

Still, Groom finds the fact that the IMAX version won't be seen at Mobile's IMAX theater "embarrassing."

The movie is "part of the American lexicon and legend," Groom said. "It's a very American story. I think the people of Mobile deserve to see it on the big screen."

Meanwhile, Karin Wilson of Page & Palette bookstore is planning to celebrate the milestone with "An Evening with Winston Groom" on Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. at The Venue in downtown Fairhope. "He's such a huge local celebrity," she said of Groom.

The event will include a shrimp boil and live music, with the group Cornbread performing songs from the "Forrest Gump" soundtrack, as well as casual conversations with Groom and Jimbo Meador. Tickets are $38.95 and include a signed commemorative edition hardcover book. Tickets for couples are $53.95. For more information, click here.

Here's the trailer for the IMAX version of "Forrest Gump" that will be released on Sept. 5: